WAEC Government Past Questions & Answers - Page 282

An indirect election is an election in which voters do not choose between candidates for an office, but elect people who then choose. It is one of the oldest forms of elections, and is still used today for many presidents, cabinets, upper houses, and supranational legislatures. Presidents and prime ministers can be indirectly elected by parliaments or by a special body convened solely for that purpose. The election of the executive government in most parliamentary systems is indirect: ''the citizens elect the parliamentarians, who then elect the government including most prominently the prime minister from among themselves''. 

An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations, political parties etc.

The status of an individual plays a major role in determining their ability to vote in an election.  The law is very clear on electoral processes and exceptions. foreigners, convicted criminals who are still serving time in prisons and under age people are not eligible to vote. In nigeria for instance, A voting age is a minimum age established by law that a person must attain before they can participate in the voting process and the legal age is 18 years. one's status is a mamjor determinat of their eligibility to vote or not to vote in an election.

Primary election. A primary election is an election used either to narrow the field of candidates for a given elective office or to determine the nominees for political parties in advance of a general election. it is an electoral process where members of a political party can indicate their preference for a candidate in an upcoming general election or by-election, thus narrowing the field of candidates.

The public's opinion  about a governement cant be measured or ascertained through the imposition of laws, rather government can get to know what people think about a particular issue affecting the country by conducting opinion polls, surveys. It's most often determined through public opinion polls, these polls are surveys commissioned by various groups in order to determine people's thoughts on particular matters. These polls are conducted by polling organizations, which are businesses that measure public opinion through strategic methods. other methods include, reviews of policies, organizing seminars, fairs, referendums etc

Public opinion can be influenced by age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion,occupation, etc., as well as the economic situation during or concerning a public issue. Public opinion is mostly influenced by mass media which includes television, magazines, radio, and newspapers. This is so because, it reaches a wide range of audience and opinions about governement policies and style of leadership is formed based on what is reported by the mass media